1.) It gives credibility to your ingredient or formula. No legitimate marketer wants to invest in an ingredient that hasn’t been proven safe or effective.
2.) It provides key message points to use in your advertising and marketing materials. Based on the results, you can put some real “teeth” in your marketing program rather than just say, “We’re the best, trust us.”
3.) It’s an investment that grows exponentially. We invested in our first studies of Phase 2 Carb Controller® at the beginning of the new millennium. Since then, we’ve invested in over a dozen separate human clinical trials. As the body of evidence increased, we passed new key regulatory milestones, including addition of two structure/function claims and FDA GRAS status. We were recently approved for two new health claims in Canada.
4.) It’s absolutely crucial to brand building. Studies are a definitive way to distinguish yourself from generic ingredients, or competitors who have no research at all.
5.) It helps avoid regulatory scrutiny of product claims. Having reliable human studies to establish what can be said,-and support claims—is crucial to avoiding regulatory conflicts.
6.) It provides confidence to suppliers, and marketing partners, alike. The have an ingredient backed by science and worthy of the investment of time, money, and energy.
7.) It provides “news” about your ingredient/formula that can be communicated via news releases to keep your product in the trade media headlines. In this case, no news is not good news. With the steady launch of new ingredients, you need a steady stream of positive news to maintain awareness in the marketplace.
8.) It gives your salespeople a reason to contact your key customers and prospects. Rather than just saying, “Hello,” they can drop a copy of the latest study on their desks, and discuss how you can work together successfully launch a new ingredient.
9.) Ultimately, it contributes to the success of your ingredient, and your company’s reputation for marketing safe, effective, science-backed ingredients.
10.) You owe it to consumers who buy your products. Ensuring that the ingredients/formulas used in supplements are safe and effective is the only way we will build consumer confidence in our industry.